Nap time

Are you always running on fumes mid-day? Majority of Americans suffer from sleep deprivation, so much that the CDC called insufficient sleep a Public Health Epidemic.

The answer to sleep deprivation does not come in pill form; all you need is a quick power nap to get you back in the game. Conventional knowledge suggests that only a deep slumber can make up for sleep deprivation. In fact, a quick power nap of 20-30 minutes during your work days can greatly improve your afternoon performance, when your energy is at the lowest. Many successful business leaders have attributed power napping as the source of their lasting energy and success.

Napping is not just for mental alertness, it also plays a big factor in the fitness plans of men with busy work schedules. It’s a known fact that muscles develop during sleep. Men with busy schedules tend to sleep less, leaving less time for the muscles to develop. Fitness trainers recommend at least 7 hours of sleep to recuperate from an intense weight training and muscle development. If you don’t get at least 6 hours of sleep a day, a quick 1 hour nap would greatly benefit your muscle development and result in better muscle growth.

The real challenge for men is getting the much-needed rest in the middle of a busy work schedule. Dozing off while you’re on the job is probably not the best way to get a little bit of rest. Try and sneak in quick slumber in-between meetings during lunch breaks, or in-between jobs. Make your office comfortable by bringing in small, soft pillows where you can bury your head when you take your nap.

As a guy who plans his own schedule, I found it extremely important to include napping in my schedule. A quick cup of coffee in the middle of a 12-hour work day simply won’t do. I’d be running on fumes even before I get to my tenth hour. A quick one-hour nap during hectic work days would give me enough energy to perform well from start to finish.

Doctors, nurses, and airline pilots have one thing in common – staying alert is a matter of life and death. In a hospital, a regular shift for doctors and nurses last 12 hours. They stay alert and on top of their game by taking quick power naps in the middle of their shifts. That’s why hospitals have on-call rooms for their staff to sleep, so they can recuperate and be at a hundred percent when needed.

By including napping to your daily routine, you would notice that your days stretch longer, and you have more energy to accomplish more tasks. Drinking coffee just to get the caffeine kick may get you a quick burst of energy, but not while setting you up for a caffeine crash later in the day. Choose the healthier option of napping and reap the benefits of a more energized, more productive work day.